The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for narrowcasting information over a data network, and more specifically to continuously narrowcasting information to system users based upon selections made by the system users and additional information bonded thereto.
Data networks, such as the Worldwide Web, have become a highly used medium for the transfer of information. Anyone with a personal computer, a connection to the Worldwide web, and a web browser may establish a connection with various sites located therein. In the current state of technology, a system user will obtain information from a website through use of pull technology. That is, when a system user clicks on a link on the website, the web browser sends a request to the Web server on which the site is located asking for the relevant page. Once access is provided to the page, the web browser downloads and displays the page.
A number of companies or service providers have recognized the value of providing websites which their customers may access in order to view information relating to products or services. In particular, a website may provide timely information relating to the current state of a company""s system which a customer wishes to employ. One example may be a company which provides Frame Relay Network Services. A Frame Relay Network provides logical connectivity between geographically distributed devices, using special circuits, which can be multiplexed over a single access path. The Frame Relay Network may consist of two parts. The first part includes customer sites which have customer premise equipments (e.g., routers, bridges, frame relay access devices) that are connected to a Frame Relay Service. The configuration and management of such devices are the responsibility of the customer. The second portion belongs to the frame relay service provider, which has a network of switches, commonly housed in central offices, and are connected using internodal trunks supplied by the service provider. This network of switches and trunks is typically managed and provisioned by the service provider at their own network""s operation center.
A number of different factors may affect the performance of the Frame Relay Network. The service provider typically collects and analyzes information relating to the operation of their part of the Frame Relay Network. Those customers which transmit information over this network may from time to time wish to view status information relating to the operation of the Network.
Currently, a customer may be required to call a customer service representative at the Frame Relay Service provider or connect to the Frame Relay Service provider""s Website in order determine events and view their data and reports. In the event a connection is established with the website, the customer, using a web browser, must pull information relevant to the Network operation to its user interface for viewing. Every time a further update is desired, another connection must be established with the website. If a customer wishes to view information from a number of different sources it may require establishing connections with a number of websites or talking to a customer service representative.
The inventor has recognized that it may be advantageous for customers or other system users with access to a data network which carries information such as broadband video data, voice data, or other types of equivalent data, such as the Worldwide web, to receive information through a narrowcast over the data network rather than going through the process of accessing a Website and manually pulling this information to their user interface. A narrowcast xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d strategy would allow system users to automatically and continuously receive individualized real-time information about various equipment or services as well as any other selected public network data. The inventor has further recognized that the information may be narrowcast to system users based on their personal preferences and that this information may be further bonded to other relevant information. Still further, these personal preferences may relate to information to which is unique to the system user, such as monitoring information for systems which the system user either owns or has exclusive control over.
The system described herein, may include a narrowcast server device connected to a data network, where the narrowcast server device includes the functionality to narrowcast information to system users which have established a connection over the data network with the server device. Narrowcast is the functionality to transmit information over the data network and have it be received by only the party it was intended for.
Included within the narrowcast server or a memory device attached thereto, may be a list of system users with authorization to receive information from the server. Each entry may include information as to an address for narrowcasting the information as well as the types of information which the system user wishes to receive. Connected to the server either through a hard connection or over the data network, is at least one source of information. The source of information may be at least one other data server with a connection to the data network. Communication between objects located on the servers may be made possible through use of a common programming language such as Java. The data server may also include a conversion device for converting data stored on the data server to a common format for presentation to the system users.
In one aspect of the invention, the system users with access to the server, employ a user interface which includes the functionality to establish a connection with the data network. In order to establish a connection with the server, the system user may employ a web browser with a specially adapted plug-in or a separate data network aware application to receive the types of information narrowcast from the server. The user interface also includes a memory device for storing information which has been narrowcast.
In another aspect of the invention, the system users may have access to the information stored on the data server, provide a list of preferences for the types of information which they wish to receive via a narrowcast over the data network from the server. This list of data preferences along with a system user address and validation code may be stored within the memory device of the server. The server may further bond other relevant information to the system user""s preferences. The data preferences may include information which relates to the system user alone, such as monitoring information for the system user""s own systems or components.
When a system user establishes a connection with the server via the data network, the list of preferred information for the system user may be retrieved from the memory device and the data preferences analyzed. At this point, the server locates and establishes a connection with the information servers which upon which the selected information may be located. Once connection is established with the identified data servers, the server may be directed to retrieve the selected information for narrowcast to the particular system user. Upon location of the information, a conversion process may be performed to convert the selected data to a common format. Using the address of the system user, the server then narrowcasts the selected information over the data network to the system user. The applications included in the system user""s interface may then provide the capability to receive and display this selected information. Functionality may further be included in the system user""s interface to, based on selections made from the displayed information, retrieve further related information via the data network.
In yet another aspect of the invention, at least one of the data servers may be an alarm server. The alarm server may include a connection to an alarm notifier which may receive alarm information relating to the services or system being monitored. In real time, the alarm server may convert alarm information received from the alarm notifier to a common format and then push this alarm information to the server. The server may then push this information substantially immediately to all authorized system users with a current connection to the server and have selected to receive this alarm information.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the information servers include a report server, which when accessed by the server, provides report information relating to the service or system being monitored. The report information generated may also cover any other subject areas desired. Upon initial access by the server, the report server provides critical information for the system users currently logged into the system. A conversion process may be performed on this information to convert it to a common format. The converted report information may then be provided to the server, where it is narrowcast to the system users with a current connection to the server and have selected to receive this information. On a periodic basis, the report server may provide further reports to the server which are then pushed on to the system users.
Numerous modifications and additions will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon further consideration of the invention.